TWO YOUNG NATURALISTS. 251 



quate result being, however, usually derived from 

 their use. In some cases, indeed, the best that can be 

 said is that these heroic remedies only destroy the 

 disease by killing the patient. According to my ideas, 

 there is but one preservative whose action is likely to 

 be really efficacious, and of which no one apparently 

 dreams : it is the bird. 



" There should exist, probably there actually exists, 

 in the countries from which the phylloxera came to 

 us, some bird the born enemy, the patent destroyer, 

 of this insect ; a bird that searches for it without 

 truce round the roots where it lurks among the 

 leaves it attacks, and hinders it from multiplying itself 

 indefinitely. Let this foe of the phylloxera be sought 

 for, and an attempt made to acclimatise it in France. 

 On the day when it shall have been discovered and 

 set to work at its duty, more will have been done 

 towards the destruction of this dreadful insect than 

 all the chemicals in the world could do in fifty years." 



After the collection was fully arranged Franceschini 

 contemplated it with pride. He could now, without 

 blushing, do the honours of it, when occasion should 

 arise, even to " the scientific men of Paris. " 



The good man never pronounced these five words 

 without an accent of profound respect. To him it 

 was a supreme ideal. Fancy it ! " Men of science 

 of Paris ! " 



The great heat of the day was now gone by. Close 



